If you're only familiar with Milos Forman through his latter-day works, such as the People vs. Larry Flynt, Man on the Moon, Amadeus, or even Cuckoo's Nest, you should probably do yourself a favor and seek out his earlier films made in his native Czechoslovakia. Made during that country's years as a Soviet satellite, The Firemen's Ball can be seen as an underhanded commentary on the shambles of communist rule but more importantly it can be seen as an exploration of human foibles.
Abiding by Murphy's Law, apparently, everything that can go wrong does go wrong with the Firemen's Ball, planned to celebrate the retired fire chief who is now dying. Prizes are stolen and ugly girls become contestants in a beauty pageant. It's all very funny and everyone is quite silly, but the film doesn't lack empathy. Forman sympathizes with his characters because he knows that they're just like the rest of us--bumbling through life causing and becoming affected by minor catastrophes.
As I said, it's very funny but not without a tinge of melancholy, which primarily emanates from the old chief. The film recognizes that, yes, these mishaps are funny but sad too--sad because this is the only send-off the old man is likely to receive and sad because he doesn't necessarily want the send off. The film is an amazing amalgamation of pathos and humor, quite like some of Woody Allen's more inspired comedy-dramas (Manhattan comes to mind).
This is whimsical film-making at its best and a wonderful, if too short, film. Forman has attempted to capture the same sense of silliness, spontaneity, and joy in his American films, but they come up somewhat lacking. Along with Loves of a Blonde, this is likely his crowning achievement and for what posterity should remember him. From my perspective, it's also the film most like Forman himself. About six years ago, I met him at a film festival in upstate New York. He shuffled into a panel discussion with Michael Ondaatje, Paul Schrader, and Russell Banks about fifteen minutes late. Forman wore sweatpants and looked exhausted, yet he was the liveliest and most amusing member of that panel--you could see pieces of Tom Hulce's performance in Amadeus or Nicholson's performance in Cuckoo's Nest there. Having seen The Firemen's Ball, I know what I actually was seeing was this film in the flesh.
Abiding by Murphy's Law, apparently, everything that can go wrong does go wrong with the Firemen's Ball, planned to celebrate the retired fire chief who is now dying. Prizes are stolen and ugly girls become contestants in a beauty pageant. It's all very funny and everyone is quite silly, but the film doesn't lack empathy. Forman sympathizes with his characters because he knows that they're just like the rest of us--bumbling through life causing and becoming affected by minor catastrophes.
As I said, it's very funny but not without a tinge of melancholy, which primarily emanates from the old chief. The film recognizes that, yes, these mishaps are funny but sad too--sad because this is the only send-off the old man is likely to receive and sad because he doesn't necessarily want the send off. The film is an amazing amalgamation of pathos and humor, quite like some of Woody Allen's more inspired comedy-dramas (Manhattan comes to mind).
This is whimsical film-making at its best and a wonderful, if too short, film. Forman has attempted to capture the same sense of silliness, spontaneity, and joy in his American films, but they come up somewhat lacking. Along with Loves of a Blonde, this is likely his crowning achievement and for what posterity should remember him. From my perspective, it's also the film most like Forman himself. About six years ago, I met him at a film festival in upstate New York. He shuffled into a panel discussion with Michael Ondaatje, Paul Schrader, and Russell Banks about fifteen minutes late. Forman wore sweatpants and looked exhausted, yet he was the liveliest and most amusing member of that panel--you could see pieces of Tom Hulce's performance in Amadeus or Nicholson's performance in Cuckoo's Nest there. Having seen The Firemen's Ball, I know what I actually was seeing was this film in the flesh.